Knitting needle



KNITTING NEEDLE Filed Oct. 26, 1950 FIG-1.

Patented July 22, 1952 KNITTING NEEDLE Eugene St. Pierre, Pawtucket, R. 1., assignor to Hemphill Company, Central Falls, R. I., a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 26, 1950, Serial No. 192,277

1' Claim. 1

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a needle for a circular, independent needle, knitting machine and in particular to a dial needle. The characteristics of the needle of this invention are shown in the drawing of which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view; and

Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

The needle of this invention consists of the usual hook portion I, latch 2, and shank portion 3. The tail portion 4 is also conventional with the exception that it has a longitudinal slot mid-way between its top and bottom edges as shown at 5. As is well known, the tail 4 of the ordinary needle is thinner than the shank so that, by bending, it can-be formed into a soft spring with the result that when a needle is positioned in a dial slot, it will be frictionally held against the sides of the slot. This has not proven entirely satisfactory because when the needle is withdrawn into the dial, the tail projects into its central depression so that it exerts practically no frictioning eifect. On the other hand, when the needle is projected, the frictional effect is unnecessarily heavy. This is highly undesirable when a number of needles are projected together as when transferring for example be: cause severe strain is placed upon the needle cams. Furthermore, the extent of needle projection for transferring is so great that only a small part of the shank remains in the slot so that the bent tail has a tendency to swing the hook of the needle out of line with the result that accurate transfer is jeopardized.

By slotting the tail as shown at 5. two fins are formed. The upper fin 6 may be sprung in one direction and the lower fin 1 in the other as shown in Fig. 1 so that friction is applied substantially equally to each side of the dial slot. Also, the frictional efiect of each half of the tail is gentler than is the case with the unslotted 2 tail and when the needle is retracted so that the tail extends into the central depression of the dial, the frictional effect persists to a substantial degree so that the needle is under better control.

In addition, when the needle is projected to the extreme degree required for transferring the tail still exerts substantially equal pressure upon each of the walls of the slot so that the align-,- ment of the needles will not be substantially affected. The necessity for extremely accurate alignment of a dial needle with the corresponding cylinder needle when transfering has been a problem for so many years that it requires no discussion.

I claim:

A knitting needle having integral hook, shank and bendable tail portions in the order named, a longitudinal slit in said tail portion extending from its free end to a point spaced from its junction with the shank portion, said slit being substantially midway between the top and bottom edges of said tail portion to provide two fins of substantially equal width which are bendable laterally in either direction.

EUGENE ST. PIERRE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

